Qatar quietly asked Hamas leaders to leave Doha due to frustration over the terror group’s handling of hostage negotiations, according to two government officials. This marked the first time since the Israel-Hamas conflict began that Qatar took such a step, aiming to pressure Hamas into compromise after negotiations had stalled following a weeklong hostages-for-truce deal in late November.
The Qatari directive followed an announcement by Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani that Doha would review its mediator role. Al-Thani’s frustration was largely directed at Israel, following criticism from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders over Qatar’s perceived failure to pressure Hamas adequately. However, officials revealed that the review also stemmed from frustration with Hamas, particularly its refusal to compromise in hostage negotiations.
After being asked to leave Qatar, Hamas leaders relocated to Turkey, where they met with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who praised their efforts against Israel. Roughly two weeks later, Egypt initiated its own attempt to broker a hostage deal. As those negotiations stalled, Qatar invited Hamas leaders back to Doha to prevent the talks from collapsing entirely, but the negotiations ultimately failed.
Weeks earlier, Hamas announced its acceptance of a ceasefire proposal by Qatari and Egyptian mediators, sparking celebrations in Gaza. However, the US later clarified that Hamas had significantly amended the proposal, making demands unacceptable to both the US and Israel. This led to a breakdown in negotiations, which have yet to resume, as Hamas seeks a permanent end to the conflict while Israel is only willing to agree to a temporary ceasefire to continue dismantling the terror group.
Officials noted that Egypt’s separate proposals to Israel and Hamas, which were not coordinated with other mediators, contributed to the talks’ failure. The proposal to Israel allowed for continued military action post-truce, while the one to Hamas leaned toward a permanent truce, angering CIA Director Bill Burns, a key broker.
Despite the latest breakdown, Hamas leaders remain in Qatar, which continues to urge them to negotiate. Al-Thani stated that talks are at a stalemate due to Israeli operations in Rafah. Last month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Al-Thani that Doha should expel Hamas leaders if they continue rejecting proposals, though no formal directive from Washington has followed. Qatar is ready to take such action if requested, a source familiar with the matter said. A senior Israeli official added that Qatar should also freeze Hamas’s assets to exert pressure.
White House Middle East czar Brett McGurk visited Qatar recently to try to restart hostage negotiations, officials said. The CIA, Egyptian and Qatari foreign ministries, and a Hamas spokesperson did not comment.
